Replica title belt costs more than real thing

September 2, 2012

Chad Brunswick shows off his new replica belt, which he bought for more than the cost of a real WWE championship belt.

A replica of the WWE World Heavyweight Championship available at a recent wrestling convention was priced at $375, which is slightly more than it costs World Wrestling Entertainment to buy the actual championship belts from the goldsmith who makes them.

Deemed a “must-have item for every true wrestling fan” by the carny huckster selling it at WrestleJamboree III Convention in New Jersey, the replica is made of synthetic leather and aluminum at a manufacturing cost of roughly nine dollars.

A real WWE World Heavyweight Championship belt, like the one currently held by CM Punk, is handcrafted by an artisan out of Corinthian leather and gold at a cost of roughly $290.

Twenty-two-year-old Chad Brunswick bought one of the replica belts after 14 weeks of saving every penny he earned washing dishes at a local Applebee’s.

“This will be a valuable collectors’ item someday, so it was a wise investment,” he said wrongly.